Drum cooling device



Aug. 6, 1957 o. P. GROVER 2,301,575

DRUM COOLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1956 Big-1Q I 3-4 INVENTOR. k 32Dunuldfl Braver United States Patent Ofifice 2,801,575 Patented Aug. 6,1957 DRUM COOLING DEVICE Donald P. Grover, Chicago, Ill., assignor, bymesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Army Application August 29, 1956, Serial No. 606,938

3 Claims. (Cl. 89-14) My invention relates to automatic guns providedwith rotatable drums with cartridge chambers, and more particularly to adevice for cooling the drums.

The continuous rate of operation of revolver-type guns is limited by therate of dissipation of heat from the drum, and it is an object of myinvention to provide the gun with a cooling system to aid in suchdissipation.

Another object of my invention is to provide the gun with a series ofpassages to guide the flow of coolant therethrough.

Other aims and objects of my invention will appear from the followingexplanation.

In carrying out my invention, the drum of an automatic gun having arecoil unit for supporting the drum, is provided with headers consistingof axial holes intermediate the chambers and rows of radial holes in theforward portion of the drum connected to the headers. The radial holesand the headers are respectively connected through forward and rearwardcavities between the drum and the shaft thereof and axial hollows in theshaft to inlet and outlet apertures in the recoil unit for flow ofcoolant through the gun.

For a more complete understanding, reference is directed to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial elevational sectionalized view of a revolver-typeautomatic gun incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view along line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Accordingly, a gun 12 is provided with a recoil unit 14 including a drum16 secured to a shaft 17, and provided with chambers 18 for cartridges20. Shaft 17 is journaled in recoil unit 14 for rotation of the chambersto stations corresponding thereto including a firing station nearest therecoil unit for discharge of the cartridges.

An actuator 21 is disposed for reciprocation to successively rotate thechambers to the firing station responsive to the discharge.

Drum 16 includes cylindrical headers 22 in the outer portion of the drumintermediate chambers 18. Radial conduits 24 and radial bores 26communicate with headers 22 for circulation of coolant in the drum toremove heat therefrom. Inlet and outlet channels for the coolant includecavities 28 and 29 disposed between drum 16 and shaft 17 andrespectively communicating between conduits 24, bore 26 and forward,rearward axial ducts 30 and 31 in shaft 17. The channels also includeinlet and outlet apertures 34 and 36 of recoil unit 14, respectivelycommunicating with ducts 30 and 31 for forward and rearward passage ofthe coolant through gun 12.

Conduits 24 are concentrated in the forward portion of the drum sincethis portion attains the highest temperature due to contact with thedischarge gases.

O-rings 32 are provided for liquid sealing.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised Withinthe spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended toinclude such variations.

I claim:

1. An automatic gun comprising a recoil unit, a shaft journaled therein,a drum secured thereto and provided with chambers for cartridges and anactuator disposed for reciprocation therein to rotate said chambers tostations corresponding thereto including a firing station for dischargeof the cartridges therein responsive thereto, said drum includingcylindrical headers intermediate said chambers and conduits and boresradially disposed and connected to said headers for circulation ofcoolant to remove heat from said drum, said shaft and said recoil unitincluding inlet and outlet passages for conducting the coolant to andfrom said drum.

2. An automatic gun as described in claim 1 with said shaft and saidrecoil unit respectively provided with pairs of ducts and apertures forrespective series communication with said conduits and said bores toform said inlet and outlet passages.

3. An automatic weapon as described in claim 2 with said drum and saidshaft disposed with cavities therebetween in respective communicationbetween said ducts, and said chambers and bores.

No references cited.

